Letting It Fall, See If It Shatters
by death-in-the-orchard
Summary: HikoxKenshin possibility...Kenshin is a blond girl because I like to seperate male Kenshin image from female Kenshin image. Hiko takes her into town, to his favorite bar, for the first time


Two figures walked into the bar. Thebar tender looked on with recognition and then surprise.

"Your apprentice is pretty cute for a swordsman. And such a strange blond hair color….is he a foreigner?" The bartender and the few men in the bar looked at Kenshin and Hiko as they sat down. "This is your apprentice, right?"

Kenshin was nervous and looked away from the bartender. The burly man laughed at Kenshin. "Ha! Almost like a little girl!" and he looked at Kenshin again with interest. "You look a lot like a girl, actually."

"She is a girl." Hiko said casually, taking his sake as it was pushed towards him and pouring a cup.

There was a pause from the bartender. "That's some joke. You got me thinking there for a second that…" he said uneasily.

"She's a girl." Hiko repeated, cutting the man off.

"No way!" the bartender slammed his hands on the table and gawked at Kenshin who jumped at the sudden action. "You took a girl as your apprentice?" he exclaimed, chuckling slightly as he could still believe it to be a joke.

"Yes." Hiko continued to ignore the men who were dumbfounded by his words. The customers left, thinking that they had drunk too much and were hallucinating.

"Why…I'll be damned…" the bartender muttered and he looked at Kenshin again. "And so quiet too."

"It's the first time I've brought her to town. She's not used to people….I guess." He eyed his apprentice with annoyance. She was trying to feign interest in a burn mark in the wood of the bar stand. "Hey, get over it. You can't act so timid as a swordsman. Say something."

Kenshin started and saw his disapproving expression. "Yes Master." Kenshin said quietly and then she looked up at the bartender with a determined look. "Hello. My name is Himura Kenshin. It is very nice to meet you." They sat in silence for a second.

The bar tender broke out in a tear-jerking laugh. Kenshin was confused. "That's not supposed to happen." She mumbled and looked at the glaring Hiko. "What did I do wrong?"

"Baka-deshi." Hiko pronounced, making Kenshin frown.

"That was too cute! She is really a swordsman?" the bartender laughed again.

Kenshin glared at him darkly. Trying to prove that she wasn't cute and weak like other girls, the idea disgusted her.

He stopped laughing. "That was a little unsettling." He looked at her again. "You shouldn't look at people like that."

Kenshin was surprised and looked up at Hiko who sat on a stool to her right. He glanced at her. "That was a bit better, but a little over the top."

The bar fell silent. Eventually a customer flapped the cloth that hung over the door as he entered. He spotted Kenshin, but ignored her, seeing the blade and taking her to be a man. He sat down next to her, because it was his usual seat. Hiko ignored him, used to seeing him there, but Kenshin looked up at him and decided that he was better left alone. She sipped some tea the bartender had set before her when he noticed that she had nothing to do. The man ordered his drink and his eyes traveled to Kenshin, and they froze.

That's a girl! He thought in amazement. No doubt about it! He watched her in the reflection of his glass the bartender gave him. He decided to go for it.

"I haven't seen you around here before." He said casually, turning to Kenshin. She ignored him, lost in thought and not suspecting anyone to engage in a conversation with her. He blinked, a little offended and Hiko watched out of the corner of his eye with interest. The man tapped her on the shoulder.

She looked up instantly.

"I haven't seen you around here before. Are you just passing through?" he regained his casual air. Hiko smirked, hiding it as he took a sip of sake. He knew exactly what the man was doing and was interested in the result.

"This is my first time visiting this town," Kenshin began, overcoming her slight surprise. "But, no, I live relatively close to here. I'm not traveling."

So polite….the man thought. She looked to be sixteen. "Oh, really?" he was a little surprised at her answer. "I come here almost every day. Do you like it here?"

Kenshin was a little anxious, and she answered quickly. "Oh yes. It's very nice. I like it a lot."

He blinked, paused, and then chuckled. Kenshin was alarmed and confused again. "That's some response." He said, looking at her. He smiled. "You're very pretty."

Kenshin turned crimson. "Wh…what?" she stuttered, completely taken aback.

He smiled mischievously. "I said, you are very pretty. But you must get that a lot." he added, though he knew she didn't, looking at her reaction.

"N..no." she looked at her lap, embarrassed. "Thank you…I guess." Hiko continued to watch, silently, acting as a stranger.

"You're very welcome." He smiled again. "Why don't I buy you a drink?" Hiko coughed as he drank from his cup, almost spitting out the sake. That man….Hiko thought. He wouldn't dare….

Kenshin looked at him with concern, but Hiko ignored her. "No thank you. I already have some tea." She picked it up to show him.

The man smiled with a strange look in his eye. "No, not that. A real drink. What people come here for."

"No, I couldn't." Kenshin said hastily. "I'm not allowed to drink."

The man frowned. He took a cup from behind the counter, they were stacked up slightly and he could easily reach it. "Here." He poured some for her.

She didn't take it. "I said no." she said, unsettled by the way he insisted.

"Really? That's too bad….I noticed the sword…do you fight?" he set the cup down near her, speaking slowly.

Kenshin eyed the drink with distaste. "I'm learning to use the sword, but I don't use it against others."

"Hm?" he had expected this. She was just interested in swords, a passing phase at best. "Why don't you show me some time? We could spar."

Kenshin looked at her drink with a small frown. She was disturbed by the man, and she didn't know why. "I'm sorry, I would rather not." She took a sip of her tea.

Not suspecting her sudden aversion to him, he started. "Why not?"

"I don't want to." Kenshin said quietly, her voice was a bit cold.

The man glared at her, angry at being refused so frankly. "What have I done to make you so upset? I've only been hospitable towards you, a complete stranger to our town."

"I'm sorry." Kenshin said guiltily. He quieted down.

"Do you practice swordsmanship often?" he said friendlily, aiming for a topic of her interest.

"Every day."

He started. "Every day?" He didn't believe her. "You would have rather rough hands then." He slyly took the chance to grab her wrist and turn over her hand slowly. Her hands were calloused.

Kenshin pulled her hand away gradually as a moment passed but he didn't let go. She was extremely uncomfortable with him touching her. "Let…" she began.

He put his face closer to hers. "A woman shouldn't do things like this…" he looked at her puzzled expression. "they should engage in more…gentle things." Kenshin didn't react because she didn't understand what was going on as he leaned towards her.

Just as he was about to kiss her Hiko pulled her out of her seat and onto his lap, not specifically meaning to do so.

"What the Hell?" the man said in confusion and anger. "What are you doing?" Now even the bar tender watched with surprise.

"Why would you be so sure that she was alone?"

The man gaped at him. "But you're always alone when you come here!" he was quite beside himself. "Then why didn't you say anything until now?" he demanded harshly.

Hiko's face was blank. "I wanted to see what my baka-deshi would do."

Kenshin was still in shock, but Hiko didn't notice.

"B..Baka…? What?" the man sputtered.

"She's my apprentice." Hiko responded coolly. The man gawked at him and then a twisted smile came across his face.

"That's quite perverted." He glared maliciously at Hiko who froze, in surprise, which was unusual for him. Kenshin didn't understand what had been said, but was concerned as she read her master's strange response.

"Master?" she asked, afraid of his quiet.

Hiko twitched and then put Kenshin down roughly and took a step towards the man. The man's eyes widened in fear as the swordsman towered over him, eyes shaking with rage.

"Hiko!" yelled the horrified bar tender. He looked at the man quickly. "Get out you fool!"

The man started to retreat but was petrified as a hand suddenly appeared to be holding him in the air by the collar of his shirt. He couldn't even cry out.

"I dare you to say that again." Hiko said in a low voice, making the man tremble and the bar tender absolutely miserable. He was clenching his hair in despair behind the counter.

"He's one of my best customers." He whimpered, but no one heard him.

"M…Master!" Kenshin hesitated to grab his sleeve, and decided not to. Hiko didn't like human contact, she had learned as a child. She couldn't remember him ever touching her, except to correct her stance during training.

He looked down at her, and his anger rose. He gritted his teeth, using all of his self control to resist killing the pathetic thing in his hands. The man cried out as he was thrown to the ground, but he was quieted by Hiko's continued glare.

Money clattered on the counter and Hiko turned for the door. "Come." He said to Kenshin without looking at her. She followed him silently.

Kenshin couldn't speak to him as they walked back, but she glanced up at him nervously a few times.

Hiko glowered at the fire that night.

"Master?" Kenshin's voice was barely audible, and this snapped Hiko back into reality.

"What?"

"Um…" she stammered. "I don't understand why you became so…." Her voice trailed off as his expression was touched by disgust.

"You don't need to know." His eyes left her.

"Yes Master." She said seriously. Hiko looked up at Kenshin from the fire. The response had been so expected from an apprentice to their master, and he smiled slightly.

"Finally a good response."

Kenshin was shocked by his smile and then beamed with happiness. He had never praised her so openly before. She tucked in her knees and hugged them, still smiling.

"What?" he rarely saw Kenshin act so happy.

"You said I did something good." She looked up at him.

He flinched at the innocent eyes and growled, turning away. "Baka-deshi, that was the wrong response."

"What?" Kenshin cried in alarm, losing the smile. "That's not fair!"

Hiko smiled, but the fire cast a shadow on his face and Kenshin couldn't see.

"Once a Baka-deshi, always a Baka-deshi."

Kenshin protested again, and he made his smile disappear. "Shut up, Baka-deshi." He said sternly, but the hand that ruffled her hair wasn't at all rough like his voice.

Kenshin was awed. "Okay."

He looked at her in alarm. "What is it?" She never shut up this readily.

"You're being…nice today, Master." Kenshin responded.

"Wha..?" Hiko took his hand away, surprised that he had ever put it on her head. "No. I'm never nice." He growled.

Kenshin laughed at him, and Hiko was speechless. He had never heard her laugh before, he realized, greatly disturbed. He couldn't bring himself to stop her. It felt too cruel.

When she had stopped, though, he didn't hesitate about ordering her to go outside to bring in more wood. Once alone, he looked fiercely at the fire, ashamed of himself for the first time in his life. "Damn…you're the baka…" he muttered to himself.

Kenshin returned and she stopped as he was standing at the door. "I'm going for a walk."

"Alright." Kenshin moved to let him leave, a little surprised at the suddenness. She watched him disappear into the darkness before closing the door. "Ah! No dinner again!" she pretended to be annoyed, but she didn't actually feel hungry. Her eyes watched the fire in quiet.

When Hiko returned he found her asleep, propped up against the wall. "Hey! Baka!" she didn't wake up. He paused, but picked her up and put her on her futon, covering her with the blanket. He stayed up for a while, but the reserve of sake he had with him didn't taste very good and he finally put out the fire and went to sleep himself. For the first time in years, he had a nightmare. His gasp woke Kenshin. He was greatly perturbed as he saw Kenshin look at him in confusion as he remembered the bloody body in his dream.

"Master? Are you ill?" she inquired with concern.

"No." he said harshly and got up and left. Kenshin was hurt by his resumed and increased hostility.

"Master?" she whispered apprehensively as she opened the door, following him.

"What?" he demanded, angered that she had not stayed inside.

"Why are you so angry? You're never exactly happy, but this…" she mumbled, looking at the dirt.

"Just go back to sleep. You have to train tomorrow." He ordered and watched her silently close the door. He walked with quick steps. "Damn it." He muttered over and over again in the dark. It was a new moon.

He couldn't understand why he was so upset either, or why Kenshin made him so angry just by his looking at her. He bit his lip and cursed again, remembering her happiness at the simple praise. Maybe he was ill…he thought…because he felt horrible.


End file.
